Gilead UK and Ireland Fellowship Programme 2012

The Gilead UK and Ireland Fellowship Programme awards financial grants to individual organisations or groups of healthcare providers working in the areas of HIV, invasive fungal disease, hepatitis B, and cystic fibrosis.

Applications for a Fellowship Programme grant will be accepted from 9th December 2011 to 31st March 2012.

Please visit our Fellowship Programme website for further information and to complete an online grant application form.

www.ukifellowshipprogramme.com

Closure of the Instrument Store at HPA Porton Down

The instrument store was set up in 2003 in order to assist infection control management at the hospital in the removal of instruments (e.g. endoscopes) that may have been contaminated with tissue derived from CJD patients and any patients at risk of infection with vCJD. This was a response to an urgent requirement and was intended to be stop-gap measure to enable individual centres to establish a quarantine centre in line with guidelines that were in the process of being developed.

These are in place in the ACDP TSE Risk Management Subgroup guidance document entitled ‘Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents: safe working and the prevention of infection’ (http://www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/TSEguidance/index.htm) and should be implemented in all hospitals. Reference to the instrument store should have been removed from decontamination protocols following advice from the 23rd Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) TSE Risk Management Subgroup meeting.

As the instrument store had now effectively outlived its primary purpose, and the instruments were of limited scientific value, the ACDP Risk Management Subgroup has advised that the store can be closed and the instruments disposed of by an approved method. The endoscopes are currently being used in a research project on defining the levels of contamination on endoscopes and will be disposed of via the same high temperature incineration on completion of the project.

Should you have any queries please contact Dr Julia Granerod, Secretary of the ACDP TSE Risk Management Subgroup at Julia.granerod@hpa.org.uk

 Heather Elliott
Senior Principal Research Officer
Policy Research Programme
Department of Health
3rd Feb 2012

Closure of the Instrument Store at HPA Porton Down

The instrument store was set up in 2003 in order to assist infection control management at the hospital in the removal of instruments (e.g. endoscopes) that may have been contaminated with tissue derived from CJD patients and any patients at risk of infection with vCJD. This was a response to an urgent requirement and was intended to be stop-gap measure to enable individual centres to establish a quarantine centre in line with guidelines that were in the process of being developed.

These are in place in the ACDP TSE Risk Management Subgroup guidance document entitled ‘Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents: safe working and the prevention of infection’ (http://www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/TSEguidance/index.htm) and should be implemented in all hospitals. Reference to the instrument store should have been removed from decontamination protocols following advice from the 23rd Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) TSE Risk Management Subgroup meeting.

As the instrument store had now effectively outlived its primary purpose, and the instruments were of limited scientific value, the ACDP Risk Management Subgroup has advised that the store can be closed and the instruments disposed of by an approved method. The endoscopes are currently being used in a research project on defining the levels of contamination on endoscopes and will be disposed of via the same high temperature incineration on completion of the project.

Should you have any queries please contact Dr Julia Granerod, Secretary of the ACDP TSE Risk Management Subgroup at Julia.granerod@hpa.org.uk

 Heather Elliott
Senior Principal Research Officer
Policy Research Programme
Department of Health
3rd Feb 2012

FIS/HIS 2012 Conference - visit www.hisconference.org.uk

FIS/HIS 2012
BT Convention Centre, Liverpool
19-21 November 2012

Website: www.hisconference.org.uk

The 8th International Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) Conference and Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) annual conference

The HIS conference takes place every two years and is the major international conference focusing on infection control attracting leading world experts in healthcare associated infections as speakers and delegates. As well as attracting accreditation from both the ACCME and the Royal College of Pathologists, it will provide a unique opportunity for everyone involved to learn the latest developments in this rapidly expanding and changing field.

The meeting is driven by an excellent scientific programme covering topics such as infection prevention and control, epidemiology and surveillance, decontamination, new technologies, infectious diseases, laboratory microbiology and antimicrobial agents to name a few.  There will also be an opportunity for delegates to exchange views and ideas about the latest developments in nosocomial and hospital acquired / healthcare associated infections.

HIS is returning to Liverpool, one of Britain’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities, after the very successful 2010 HIS International Conference.  The 2012 event will again be located in the BT Convention Centre, a purpose built, state of the art facility situated in the heart of Liverpool along the historic, world heritage waterfront. 

Early bird registration rate closes after 10th September 2012

Abstract submission closes 21st September 2012

For more information and for online registration and abstract submission visit www.hisconference.org.uk  
email: HISconference@fitwise.co.uk  / Phone: 01506 811077

FIS/HIS 2012 Conference - visit www.hisconference.org.uk

FIS/HIS 2012
BT Convention Centre, Liverpool
19-21 November 2012

Website: www.hisconference.org.uk

The 8th International Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) Conference and Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) annual conference

The HIS conference takes place every two years and is the major international conference focusing on infection control attracting leading world experts in healthcare associated infections as speakers and delegates. As well as attracting accreditation from both the ACCME and the Royal College of Pathologists, it will provide a unique opportunity for everyone involved to learn the latest developments in this rapidly expanding and changing field.

The meeting is driven by an excellent scientific programme covering topics such as infection prevention and control, epidemiology and surveillance, decontamination, new technologies, infectious diseases, laboratory microbiology and antimicrobial agents to name a few.  There will also be an opportunity for delegates to exchange views and ideas about the latest developments in nosocomial and hospital acquired / healthcare associated infections.

HIS is returning to Liverpool, one of Britain’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities, after the very successful 2010 HIS International Conference.  The 2012 event will again be located in the BT Convention Centre, a purpose built, state of the art facility situated in the heart of Liverpool along the historic, world heritage waterfront. 

Early bird registration rate closes after 10th September 2012

Abstract submission closes 21st September 2012

For more information and for online registration and abstract submission visit www.hisconference.org.uk  
email: HISconference@fitwise.co.uk  / Phone: 01506 811077